The gas companies adjust octane for the localities they serve. When they can use lower octane it saves them refining costs. You will see lower octane in the high country like Moab, Utah, which is at roughly 4000 feet. At that elevation the air is thinner, and the compression ratio lower as a result,(that's why we complain about power up high) so they cheap out on the gas. You can run 85 octane all day on level ground in cool weather with no problems, but when you go to climb the Grapevine it might be different. There are so many factors; engine condition, temperature, pressure, load, it can be real hard to pin it down to one situation